Code of Practice

One of the most sought-after honours for a funeral director is membership of the international organisation, Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Admission is by invitation only and Alfred James & Sons was the first South Australian member.

Before an invitation is extended the SIFH governing executive undertakes a meticulous investigation into the character of the principals of the company, their service, performance, responsibility and facilities.

Selected leading funeral directors in more than 800 cities and towns world-wide are members of this organisation.

SIFH was founded in 1917 and has its own Code of Good Practice to which members are dedicated and by which they uphold the highest standards of funeral service.

Alfred James & Sons is also a leading member of the Australian Funeral Directors Association.

The following Code of Practice clearly sets out the responsibilities and obligations of members and was established after consultation with religious and professional leaders world-wide.

As funeral directors, our calling imposes on us special responsibilities to those we serve and the public at large. Chief among them is the obligation to inform the public so that everyone can make knowledgeable decisions about funerals and funeral directors.

In acceptance of our responsibilities and as a condition of our membership in Selected Independent Funeral Homes, we affirm the following standards of good funeral practice and hereby pledge:

1. To provide the public with information about funerals, including prices, and about functions, services and responsibilities of funeral directors.

2. To afford a continuing opportunity to all persons to discuss or arrange funerals in advance.

3. To make funerals available in as wide a range of price categories as necessary to meet the need of all segments of the community. To extend to everyone the right to inspect and freely consider all of these.

4. To quote conspicuously in writing the charges for every funeral offered; to identify clearly the services, facilities, equipment and merchandise included in such quotation.

5. To furnish to each family at the time funeral arrangements are made, a written memorandum of charges and to make no additional charge without the approval of the purchaser.

6. To make no representation, written or oral, which may be false or misleading, and to apply a standard of total honesty in all dealings.

7. To respect all faiths, creeds and customs, and to give full effect to the role of the clergy.

9. To assure those we serve, the right of personal choice and decision in making funeral arrangements.

10. To be responsive to the needs of the poor, serving them within their means.

11. We pledge to conduct ourselves in every way and at all times in such a manner as to deserve the public trust and to have a copy of this Code of Good Funeral Practice in the possession of a representative of all parties with whom we arrange funerals.